Trained auto, need to learn manual!

The best way would be to ask your company to train you in one of their trucks. Shouldn't cost you anything

 

Where is your location?
Do you have endorsements?
It's getting more difficult to find decent stick shift companies.
Just tell any company, you're really rusty on stick shift and need to run with a trainer for awhile.

 

If you were never issued the restriction then you are very lucky. Be quiet about that., Seriously.

Get a trainer truck with a manual. Tell your company like Chinatown stated that you are very rusty. Which is understandable since everyone needs manual in today's auto world.

I would be rusty myself but would take care of that problem in less than a day not even a hour. Manual semis only shift one way up or down.

 

Get all the endorsements; some dry van and reefer outfits require all of them.
Might find someone on Craigslist to hire you and teach stick shift.
Sure, if your current company will work with you, that's the best way. Once you become proficient with stick shift and get all the endorsements, you'll have dozens of companies to choose from.

 

If you live out in the country, and have a farmer for a neighbor, he may have a manual grain truck he'd let you drive in to the mill a few times. My neighbor made that offer a while back when he was trying to get me to come haul cattle where he is an O/O in the slow season. I would be a tad rusty if I had to shift. Haven't had to for going on 9 years now. But I had driven manuals for about 18 years before coming here.

 

just tell the new employer that you are very rusty at shifting. most likely if everything else about you is good, they will send you out with someone.

 

Rent a manual rental car. Learn on it, then move up to the real thing. Also watch some of the training video's. I have been blessed. Never even been in a auto truck.
Just try not to shift one with this shift pattern to start out with.

 

I have extensive experience driving manual cars and didn't find it very helpful when I learned in a big truck.

Cars don't have clutch brakes...